AN INVESTIGATION OF THE IMPACT OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS ON THE QUALITY OF NURSING PRACTICES IN THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR OF CAMEROON

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The presence of ethics is essential for the well-being of a society. Individuals in positions such as researchers, educators, and managers of organisations and associations are consistently driven to uphold and improve ethical standards due to the good impact it has on individuals, organisations, and society as a whole (Ghorbanizadeh & Kariman, 2019). Compliance with ethical principles is an inherent aspect of nursing professionalism, and the purpose of nursing is to deliver vital healthcare, nursing, medical, and rehabilitative services at the utmost level of quality to guarantee, safeguard, and advance community health. Adhering to ethical principles and standards in the workplace, particularly in nursing, can result in favourable outcomes. These include enhanced healthcare quality and patient satisfaction, decreased negative aspects in teamwork, heightened job satisfaction, positive relationships among colleagues, increased commitment and emotional attachment to the organisation, a more spiritual work environment, and increased display of positive behaviours and reduced display of negative behaviours in the workplace (Ghasemzadeh et al., 2019). 

Nurses, being the primary health human resources in most organisations, play a crucial role in ensuring the quality of services. Their primary job lies in providing care for patients. Hence, the significance of mindful leadership in healthcare services, specifically in nursing, becomes evident (Madani & Toosi, 2019). The concept of leadership encompasses a wide array of styles, each with its own unique characteristics and emphases, as highlighted by Golparvar et al. (2021). Professional ethics can be defined as the adherence to appropriate conduct in personal acts and interpersonal relationships, with the aim of fostering these attitudes among others through mutual interaction, encouragement, and decision-making (Brown & Trevino, 2018). Professional ethics encompass principles such as respect for others, serving others, fairness, honesty, collectivism, supporting and developing the skills and confidence of subordinates, compassion, fairness, advising followers to adhere to ethical and moral behaviour, and providing rewards and punishments for immoral actions. These principles are cited by Lane (2019), Zhu (2020), and Patrick & Laschinger (2020). Today, it is necessary to possess a diverse range of abilities and be adaptable in order to effectively address the problems posed by evolving needs and new demands. One fundamental criterion for leadership is to enhance the quality of care. 

The introduction of a complete management system for providing health services in the UK in 1998 marked the inception of the idea of enhancing care quality. An innovative approach to health was established, focussing on quality rather than quantity. Enhancing the quality of care involves consolidating all patient care activities under a unified approach (Rajabi, 2019). Various models and patterns exist to define and enhance the quality of care. One such model utilised in the UK national medical system incorporates seven key components: patient and community participation, education and training, risk management and patient safety, information utilisation, clinical effectiveness, clinical audit, and management staff. However, based on exemplary instances of enhancing care quality and patient safety, teaching and management personnel were merged into a single aspect that emphasises leadership. Seven dimensions were identified as crucial for improving care quality: clinical audit, risk management and patient safety, staff training and management, clinical effectiveness, data utilisation, patient engagement, and community involvement. Research has demonstrated that the staff's proficiency in professional ethics is a crucial requirement for achieving high-quality care and facilitating the healing process. Although these characteristics are important, there has been a lack of literature analysis examining the links between them. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the impact of professional ethics on the quality of nursing practices in the healthcare sector of Cameroon.

Statement of the Problem

Although nursing knowledge has expanded significantly and there is a great focus on technical competence, the moral competence or ethics of care is sometimes overlooked. The significance of the ethics of care in nursing is such that it occasionally surpasses the technical aspects of the profession (Azami & Akbarzade, 2021). Healthcare organisations, centres, governments, and policy makers have recognised the significance of creating necessary systems to deal with and solve ethical concerns (Paoletti & Cedersund, 2019). Multiple studies have demonstrated that upholding patients' rights is of utmost importance in the professional conduct of nurses in numerous American, European, and African nations. Based on these ethical norms, patients are entitled to be provided with information regarding their health state in order to make well-informed decisions about medical treatments and to maintain confidentiality. This matter highlights the significance of ethical conduct among nurses. Presently, there is an inadequate ratio of nursing staff to hospital beds, leading to each nurse having to fulfil many roles. This scenario has the potential to impact the execution of ethical nursing protocols and professional benchmarks. Promoting and enhancing ethical behaviour among nurses can be achieved through rewarding ethical conduct, assuring ethical behaviour among colleagues, and fostering ethical behaviour among nursing supervisors. In order to accomplish the objective, it is advisable to acquaint the staff with ethical concepts and behaviours through educational seminars, hence fostering ethical values and conduct among employees (Yeon et al., 2019). Hence, it is in the light of these challenges, the study seeks to investigate the impact of professional ethics on the quality of nursing practices in the healthcare sector of Cameroon.

 1.3  Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of professional ethics on the quality of nursing practices in the healthcare sector of Cameroon. Specifically, the study will;

Evaluate the relationship between professional ethics and the quality of nursing practices in Cameroon.

Assess how adherence to ethical standards affects patient care, safety, and satisfaction.

Identify the ethical challenges that nurses face in their practice and how these challenges impact the quality of care.

Propose strategies  for improving ethical knowledge and attitudes among nurses.

1.4  Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study:

Is there a relationship between professional ethics and the quality of nursing practices in Cameroon?

How does nurses adherence to ethical standards affects patient care, safety, and satisfaction?

What are the ethical challenges that nurses face in their practice and how these challenges impact the quality of care.

What are the strategies  for improving ethical knowledge and attitudes among nurses?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

H0: Adherence to professional ethics has no significant impact on the quality of nursing practices in the healthcare sector of Cameroon.

Ha: Adherence to professional ethics has a significant impact on the quality of nursing practices in the healthcare sector of Cameroon.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study will explore how adherence to professional ethics, such as confidentiality, integrity, accountability, and respect for patient rights, influences the effectiveness, safety, and patient-centeredness of nursing practices. The research will also enhance existing theoretical models that address the role of ethics in healthcare quality. Additionally, the study will provide insights into the specific ethical challenges faced by nurses in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like Cameroon, contributing to the broader discourse on global healthcare ethics. Furthermore, subsequent researchers will use it as a literature review. This means that other students who may decide to conduct studies in this area will have the opportunity to use this study as available literature that can be subjected to critical review. Invariably, the result of the study contributes immensely to the body of academic knowledge with regard to the impact of professional ethics on the quality of nursing practices in the healthcare sector of Cameroon.

1.7 Scope of the study   

The scope of this study is boarded on the impact of professional ethics on the quality of nursing practices in the healthcare sector of Cameroon. Geographically, the study will be delimited to nurses in Cameroon.

1.8 Limitation of the study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed. More so, the findings of this study are limited to the sample population in the study area, hence they may not be suitable for use in comparison to other schools, local governments, states, and other countries in the world.

 1.9 Definition of Terms

Nursing: profession and practice of providing care to individuals, families, and communities to maintain or improve their health and quality of life.

Ethics: set of principles and standards that guide moral conduct and decision-making.